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Re: Archaic H. sapiens???
Gerrit Hanenburg (G.Hanenburg@inter.nl.net)
Tue, 07 Jan 1997 23:39:27 GMT
herwin@osf1.gmu.edu (HARRY R. ERWIN) wrote:
>Gerrit Hanenburg (G.Hanenburg@inter.nl.net) wrote:
>: Would you care to explain the evidence? I've read "The Nariokotome
>: Homo erectus skeleton", and although it mentions some skeletal
>: differences between H.erectus and H.sapiens, I don't remember any of
>: them being particularly related to a recent climbing fase.
>
>Funnel-shaped thorax (most obviously), longer vertebrae spines, and longer
>femur necks.
But Jellema et al.(1993) conclude their analysis of the KNM-WT 15000
thorax as follows:"Although subadult, this individual clearly had a
barrel-shaped thorax, a ventrally positioned thoracic vertebral
column, and ribs that decline inferiorly; these three features are
directly associated with bipedality and distinguish hominids from
modern apes."
The longer femoral neck can hardly be considered a sign of a recent
arboreal phase since modern apes have a relatively shorter femoral
neck compared to modern humans. The biomechanical necklength of KNM-WT
15000 (85 mm) is well over 3 s.d.units above the mean of a sample of
Homo sapiens (Brown et al.1985).
Jellema,L.M., Latimer,B. and Walker,A.(1993). The Rib Cage. p.294-325
in Walker,A.and Leakey,R.(1993). The Nariokotome Homo erectus
Skeleton. Springer-Verlag.
Brown,F., Harris,J., Leakey,R. & Walker,A.(1985). Early Homo erectus
skeleton from west Lake Turkana, Kenya. Nature 316:788-792.
Gerrit
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